I am starting a new thread related to the new OpenServo InterFace USB to I2C interface. For any question or comments please post below.

New Features of the new OSIF V2

Hardware I2C Support for up to 333khz speed

AVR programming support to allow for flashing any AVR/OpenServo with AVRDude

Windows and Linux drivers

Built in bootloader to allow for firmware upgrades over USB

The new bootloader allows you to flash the firmware of the OSIF so you can use the latest and greatest features, and also customise your OSIF. For example you could program it to run as a standalone robot controller, or program the extra GPIO to do whatever pleases you.

The AVR programming support is also very useful. If you don't have an AVR programmer like the STK500 or STK200 you can now use the OSIF to flash your AVR chips.

The good news is that the features are backward compatible with the V1 hardware, you just need to do a flash upgrade with an AVR programmer. I will fully document these new and exciting features over the coming days.

This looks awesome! I am so happy to hear that you finally implemented hardware I2C. 333kHz is very fast, and certainly fast enough for bipedal robotics communications. I can't wait to get my hands on one of these. Nice work!

-Jay_________________"Nothing is fool-proof; For we fools are ingenious and will find a way."

The working board you have should be the latest firmware, but without the bootloader. The bootloader is in beta test phase, and if you wish you can check it out of CVS and flash it. I also have some Windows and Linux tools to flash using the bootloader, but these are not in CVS.

If you check out the CVS you can compile the latest firmware and apply using your AVRISP.

The programing board you sent me works fine, really happy with it. What I wanted to know is can I use your board to program my servos, the bootloader works on the servos as they turn up as 0xF7. So I just need to update the program side of things.

I understand now, thanks for clarifying. Easy enough. When they show up as 0x7f Click the button marked "..." next the the grayed out "Flash" button. Select the firmware .hex file you want to flash, and then click on "Flash"

Thanks for all your help over the last week I'm slowly getting up to speed and figuring out what is going on. I just tried to flash the device using you app but it failed. I followed your steps but it gives a "I2C Write reboot failed". I tried it on two different boards on that was only the bootloader thus at 0x7F and another that was working. Both failed.

There is a bug in the OpenServo v3 bootloader section that fails the reboot after the flash. All you need to do is manually power cycle the OpenServo. If it gets as far as telling you that it tried to reboot, it successfully did the firmware update.

So, how to use avrdude with the osif? From reading the source I would assume that I have to hack avrdude to accept the OSIF as a USBTINY programmer (so I have simply to adjust the USB-ids), is that correct? Sorry, I have searched the wiki and the forum, but did not find information about it; maybe I was just blind.